nba

Another Failure for Doc Rivers the GM

The Clippers made news just before the trade deadline. They didn’t trade Blake Griffin. Even if they wanted to trade Blake, it wouldn’t have made good business sense. If Griffin is going to be traded, it will be in a sign-and-trade for Kevin Durant this summer. Otherwise, there is no reason to give Griffin up.

But Doc did make a trade. The Clippers, desperate for wing help, traded Lance Stephenson. The same Lance Stephenson Doc traded for this summer. To get Stephenson, he traded Spencer Hawes. Hawes was a Doc free agent signing the summer before. So if you are keeping score on Doc Rivers last eight months, it goes something like this:

He trades Spencer Hawes for Lance Stephenson. He signs Josh Smith. He trades Josh Smith for a bag of chips back to where he came from because Blake Griffin was due to come back from injury. Blake Griffin breaks his hand and is out indefinitely. Doc trades Lance Stephenson for Jeff Green. Which means the summer of 2015 was a big “F” for the Clippers GM. Almost everyone Doc brought in is gone. Wesley Johnson stays. Paul Pierce stays.

Wes hasn’t had a bad year with the Clips. He still is a lottery bust (6.8 points, 2.8 rebounds) but he has made some key shots for the Clippers this season, in big moments. But he’s not a starter in the West and neither is Paul Pierce who is shooting a career low 31.4%.

The Clippers acquisition of Jeff Green is an upgrade. But will he be a difference maker when they play the Warriors? Not hardly. Otherwise, Memphis wouldn’t have gotten rid of him.

Green was the 5th pick in the 2007 draft, selected by Boston, traded by Boston, traded by OKC, traded by Boston (again), traded by Memphis, traded to the Clippers. The theme is recurring and pretty stale right about now.

To get Green, Rivers gave up a first round pick. The Clippers are a wasteland for young talent. They need that first round pick to develop a point guard to learn from Chris Paul. Paul will be 31 when the playoffs get going and the Clippers need to think ahead. But Doc Rivers is thinking of now.

It’s highly unlikely Jeff Green is going to make the Warriors lose sleep. He is putting in 12.2 points and 4.5 rebounds this season. His scoring efficiency has been sporadic. He makes 32.8% of catch and shoot baskets. He makes 38.3% of his pull up jumpers. 38% of shots 3-10 feet go in, 32% of long two’s and 30% of three pointers are scores. So basically, he’s an iso player that can get streaky but can only do things close to the basket.

There were high hopes for Jeff Green coming out of Georgetown in 2007. He has had a decent career but not what a top five should have. No one expected a nine year career with four trades.

Always on the Move

Lottery Pick

Times Traded

Points

FG%

3-Point%

Playoff Appearances

Jeff Green

#5

4

14.1

43.9%

34.0%

2010,11,13,15

Doc’s GM record is just as underwhelming as Jeff Green’s NBA resume. With no Western Conference Finals for CP, Blake and company to point to, the Clippers, as usual, are a team with a lot of questions and very few answers. But Jeff Green is a familiar Doc Rivers piece. He played for him in Boston.